ONCE UPON A TIME IN NEW YORK CITY
by JOVANKA
Summary: A/U. WHAT IF STELLA BONASERA NEVER WORKED IN THE NYPD CRIME LAB AND SHE HAD NEVER MET MAC TAYLOR UNTIL JANUARY 2013 THAT IS.
1. JANUARY:THE MISUNDERSTANDING

**Once Upon a Time in New York City.**

**Legal Stuff:-nothing and nobody belongs to me.**

**A/n: - Ok folks so this is definitely an AU fic so Jess and Aiden are both very much alive, Jo is still happily married to Russ and Stella never worked at the lab amongst other things. Hopefully this will all make perfect sense at some point. Anyway all feedback gratefully accepted as always.**

**January: The misunderstanding.**

Once upon a time in New York City lived a man named Mac Taylor...

"Mac are you actually planning to leave your office sometime tonight or do I need to call security" Detective Josephine 'Jo' Danville poked her head around his office door.

"What it's not that late..." Mac shrugged from behind a stack of paperwork.

"Mac its 7pm by my calculation you have been here almost fourteen hours straight for the third time this week go home" She all but ordered him.

"It's ok I don't mind working late" Make insisted.

"Well I do mind it's not healthy spending so much time at work" She sighed walking into his office "Either you go home willingly or I will get Flack and Danny to carry you outta here."

"I'm not going to win this argument am I" Mac asked.

"Would you have it any other way" She pointed out.

"True" He grinned and conceding defeat closed the file he was working on, then standing up he collected his coat and scarf from his coat stand "Happy now?"

"I will be when I walk you out of the building" Jo grinned back and grabbed his briefcase before he could reach for it "And this is staying with me tonight. Go home and relax Mac, watch TV or read a book anything but work."

"Spoil my fun why don't you" He chuckled as they headed towards the elevator together.

"What you need Detective Taylor is a good woman to take you in hand" Jo advised him pressing the elevator's call button.

"Well if you are offering" He teased his friend and colleague.

"Thanks but no thanks I'm very happily spoken for as you well know" Jo grinned again "Besides it could get messy I mean you and Russ would have to get some sort of rota going and if Tuesday got mixed up with Thursday it could be chaos."

"Ah there you go again breaking my heart" Mac laughed as the elevator pinged and the doors slid open. They were a great team at work and even better friends but that's where their relationship ended neither one had ever been romantically interested in the other or ever would be but that didn't stop Mac adoring his honorary 'sister' or vice versa.

"Mac you're a great guy but your far too picky when it comes to the opposite sex" Jo advised as they rode down to the parking lot "Every woman you date there is something wrong."

"I'm not picky" Mac protested, wondering exactly where this conversation was leading "I just haven't found someone special yet is all."

"Oh what about Peyton, Quinn, Aubrey and the rest" Jo pointed out "One date all of them and then it's sayonara dude I grant you Christine was an absolute nightmare and don't get me started on Peyton but surely one of them was worth a second look."

"I'm not picky...I just want..."He couldn't really admit even to himself what he wanted not really.

"You just want Claire" Jo finished off for him "Which is why you have practically moved into the Lab, since working yourself into any early grave beats staying home alone doesn't it?"

"You know me far too well" Mac said sheepishly as they reached their destination.

"I ought to after all these years" Jo nodded "I miss her too Mac, we all do. Claire was a wonderful person but she's been gone a long time and the Claire I knew wouldn't want you to be alone."

"She was the only one for me Jo" Mac shook his head sadly "I still love my wife and I always will."

"Doesn't mean you can't fall in love again" Jo argued watching him climb into his SUV "If you would just let yourself."

"Alright I surrender who is she" Mac asked suspiciously.

"She's Russ' partner's cousin's best friend" Jo confessed "Her name is Miriam, she's an accountant from Queens and she's divorced."

"No Jo no more blind dates you and Russ might live in Ozzy and Harriet land but maybe I like being single did you ever think of that" Mac countered "Master of my own TV remote, lord of the bathroom, commander in chief of my closet and supreme ruler of my bank account how many guys can say that."

"Sure you do Mac that's why your overtime bill looks like the national debt" Jo played along "Find a woman Mac, any woman."

"Goodnight Jo" Mac closed his car's door and drove off.

"Goodnight Mac" She called out after him.

All the way home Mac thought about what Jo had said, she was right that he was still too wrapped up in Claire to find someone else that's if anybody else even wanted him anyway it wasn't as if the perfect woman was going to appear out of thin air was it.

"Good evening Arnold" Mac greeted his doorman as he entered his building. Arnold Brown had to be nearly eighty but he still knew every inch of the building down to the last brick and everyone in it, nothing and no-one escaped him.

"Good evening Mr Taylor sir" Arnold replied.

"Arnold please call me Mac" Mac tried once again, he'd been asking Arnold to call him Mac every day for the past fifteen years still to no avail.

"Yessir Mr Taylor sir" Arnold gave his usual reply "Please can I ask a favour of you sir?"

"Go ahead Arnold" Mac nodded.

"We have a new tenant in 420 a Mrs Bonasera and her little one" Arnold began to explain "Her boiler isn't working properly but the repairman can't make it out till tomorrow and I wondered if you could take a look see since it's the same as yours and it's getting awfully cold..."

"Alright Arnold I'll stop by and take a look" Mac agreed to the request if nothing else it meant spending less time rattling around his apartment on his own some.

Two minutes later Mac knocked politely on the door of apartment 420 "Hi...Mrs Bonasera ...My name is Mac Taylor; I'm here to check on your boiler" He called out.

The door opened and a curly haired woman appeared holding an equally curly haired little girl dressed in Minnie mouse pyjamas and bunny slippers "Hello I'm Stella Bonasera and this is Phoebe" she introduced herself and her daughter cheerfully to the cute blue eyed if rather bewildered looking guy stood outside her front door.

"Mac Taylor" Mac repeated himself; Stella Bonasera was definitely the type of woman that made a man stop and look at least twice. She was almost as tall as he was with a dancer's build and poise, her skin had a faint olive tinge and her hair was a caramel colour while she had the loveliest sea green eyes he decided...beautiful that was the only way to describe her absolutely beautiful.

"Um Mr Taylor would you like to come inside" Stella asked knocking Mac out of his trance.

"What? Oh the boiler...yes I better had hadn't I?" Mac followed her into the apartment abashed at being caught out gawping what the heck had come over him he wondered.

"Thanks for this Mr Taylor its right through here" Stella and Phoebe led the way into the kitchen through a maze of unpacked boxes and stacked up furniture "I'm sorry about the mess we only moved in today and everything seems to have gone wrong."

"There is absolutely nothing to apologize for Mrs Bonasera" Mac assured her "And my name is Mac."

"Then its Stella" She grinned.

"Sorry Mrs...I mean Stella" Mac wondered if he looked as red as he definitely felt "Anyway let's take a look see."

Sliding the front cover off Mac did a quick check and saw the problem immediately a few machinations later and the boiler sprang back into life.

"Oh thank goodness for that" Stella sighed in relief "Phoebe and I thought we'd have to sleep in our coats and hats tonight."

"Your Boiler needs a new thermostat it should be ok for now but when the repairman comes in the morning you need to tell him" Mac explained.

"Repair man? I thought you were the repair man" Stella's eyes narrowed angrily "Just who the heck are you?"

"Mac Taylor I live two floors up I heard that..." He started to explain.

"You heard that I was a widow and a single mom so you thought you'd play knight in shining armour and I'd happily let you into my panties" Stella fumed "Get out of my home!"

"No it wasn't like that at all" Mac tried again.

"I said get out or I will call the cops and its Professor Bonasera to you" Stella yelled at him causing Phoebe to whimper "Now look what you have done."

"I'm so, so sorry" Mac apologized backing away even though he didn't think he'd done anything really wrong then he left.

"The nerve of that guy" Stella muttered cuddling her sobbing baby as she slammed the door behind him "It's ok sweetheart Mommy is here she didn't mean to scare you...pity though he seemed so nice."

Back in his own apartment Mac slammed his door shut too and retreated to the sofa "Stupid, stupid, stupid" He berated himself angrily "Well done Mac you've just managed to offend someone you don't even know." Trouble was he realised he wanted to get to know Stella Bonasera very, very much.

A/n: No it's not a misspelling in this universe Bonasera is Stella's married name. It's always intrigued me that someone so obviously Greek-American would have an Italian surname. There are other reasons for that of course but the simplest and most obvious explanation is that at some point before we met her Stella was married. Sadly we were never given much detail on Stella's background not even her mother's name and it's pretty unlikely we ever will I suppose. All feedback gratefully accepted thank you.


	2. FEBRUARY:THE APOLOGY

**February: The Apology.**

Heading to her rooms on the Chelsea University Campus Stella Bonasera pushed her daughter Phoebe's stroller out of their apartment, along the hallway to the elevator and pressed the down button the elevator arrived with a ping and the doors slid open to reveal Mac Taylor on his way to work too.

"Oh terrific New York City's answer to Casanova" Stella groaned "We'll wait for the next one."

"You don't need to" Mac pressed the hold button to keep the door open "Rest assured Professor Bonasera I can control myself for two minutes."

"Rest assured Mr Taylor we can wait just as long" Stella waved goodbye as the door's slid shut and the elevator carried on its way.

"Damn that woman the Statue of Liberty wouldn't be so hardnosed" Mac muttered to himself as he arrived on the ground floor "Arnold next time I even think about trying to do someone a favour just shoot me on the spot will you" He harrumphed as he marched past the startled door man and out of the building.

Three minutes later Stella arrived on the ground floor with Phoebe "Good morning Arnold" She greeted him with a smile.

"Narnold" Phoebe joined in enthusiastic clapping her hands.

"Good morning Mrs Bonasera ma'am and little Miss B" Arnold politely returned the greeting "Please may I have a moment of your time."

"Ok I guess we are running early this morning" Stella nodded consulting her watch.

"Thank you Mrs Bonasera please don't be angry but it's about Mr Taylor..." Arnold began.

"Oh god Aiden I'm soooooooooooo embarrassed..." Stella laid her head down on her desk and covered her unruly mass of curls with her hands "How am I ever going to face him again?"

"So let me get this straight your doorman Arnie..."Aiden began.

"Arnold" Stella lifted her head up and corrected her research assistant.

"Who cares" Shrugged the younger woman "Your doorman asked this Taylor guy to do you a favour and not only did you bawl him out but you nearly had him arrested is that right?"

"Technically I only threatened to have him arrested" Stella nodded, after dropping Phoebe off at day-care she had headed straight to the Office she shared with Aiden Byrne her so called best friend in hope of Coffee and Sympathy so far all she'd gotten was a headache.

"So I take it Taylor guy is no-longer the chauvinistic, sex obsessed, egomaniac pig then" Aiden chuckled.

"Actually he's a cop" Stella sniffed "A highly decorated one."

"He fights crime too? Stel face it you almost had Superman arrested" Aiden clutched her sides and laughed so hard Stella thought she'd fall of her chair.

"This is not funny Byrne" Stella threw a ball of paper at her giggling friend.

"Actually it is Stel only you could get yourself into such a mess" Aiden threw the paper ball back at her.

"It was an easy mistake to make, I mean how was I supposed to know Mac was the world's oldest cub scout" Stella tried to defend herself "People just don't do nice things for people anymore ...we live in New York City for pity's sake."

"Oh so now it's Mac now is it" Aiden burst out laughing again "He's cute isn't he? Admit it Bonasera!"

"I didn't really notice..." Stella protested.

"You don't seriously expect me to believe that do ya Stel" Aiden guffawed.

"Alright then yeah he's cute" Stella admitted reluctantly "Oh Aiden...I was so awful to him this morning I wouldn't even share the elevator he must think I'm insane."

"Just explain everything to him and apologize I'm sure he'll understand" Aiden finally stopped laughing "Tell him about Val and how much you still miss him."

"I wish..."Stella picked up the photo of her late husband from her desk and smiled fondly "...If Val were still here he'd be laughing too."

Aiden nodded "And he'd tell you to talk to this guy, he'd say it'll be alright in the end..."

"If it's not alright then it's not then end" Stella kissed the photo and placed it back down next to her photos of Phoebe "So how do I apologize to Mac Taylor without him slamming the door in my face?"

"That's easy" Aiden produced a notepad and pen from her desk draw "Just write him a letter explaining everything and then apologizing he can't ignore a letter right?"

"It's worth a shot I suppose" Stella was far from convinced "But it might be easier just to move house again."

Frowning Stella stared at the rows of mail boxes in front of her and at one in particular, the one marked Taylor. With one arm she was holding onto Phoebe securely, in her free hand she held a cream envelope with Mr M Taylor printed neatly on it. She'd been standing there in the foyer of her building for nearly ten minutes debating exactly what to do and was getting some very strange looks from her neighbours as they passed by whilst Arnold over in his corner kept peeping over the newspaper he was pretending to read.

"This seemed so easy when Auntie Aiden suggested it" Stella kissed her little girl's curls "What do you think sweetheart should mommy send this thing?" Phoebe looked up at her with big green eyes just like her own and giggled.

"I'll take that as a yes then sweetheart" Stella moved to slip the letter into the Taylor mail box.

"Ahem" Someone politely cleared his throat from behind her "I don't know what I've done this time Professor Bonasera but whatever it is I'm really very sorry and it will never happen again so if we could just skip the ritual humiliation part I'd be extremely grateful."

Stella whirled around to find Mac Taylor standing there with an almost identical bemused look on his face to the day she'd met him "Me too" she said simply.

"You too" Mac asked even more baffled.

"I'm sorry too, Arnold explained everything to me and I wanted to apologize for jumping to the wrong conclusion and my rude behaviour towards you" Stella held out the letter she'd written "Here this is for you."

Now Mac was well and truly floored "I didn't think people still wrote letters to each other" He managed to get out as he took the letter "And I'm sorry too, too if that makes any kind of sense I should have identified myself properly it was my mistake not yours and you had every right to be annoyed."

"I couldn't feel anymore stupider if I tried" Stella reddened.

"Me neither" Mac smiled and held out his "Hows about we try this again Mac Taylor pleased to meet you."

"Stella Bonasera likewise" Stella grinned and shook his hand happily.

"Professor Bonasera" Mac gently released her hand his curiosity well and truly piqued "Professor of what?"

"Ah well please don't panic but I'm Professor of Forensic Science over at Chelsea U" She explained "I specialize in Forensic Archaeology but I swear I almost never bring dead bodies home with me!"


	3. MARCH:THE COFFEE DATE

**A/n: Thank you to everyone who was kind enough to review the previous two instalments of Once Upon a Time in New York it's much appreciated.**

March: The Coffee Date.

Impatiently Mac Taylor drummed his fingers on the Elevator's control panel as he waited for it to descend towards the fourth floor, with a lump the size of Jersey in his throat he prayed for the car to stop this time but instead it sailed past coming to rest on the second floor instead.

"Hey Mrs Collins" He greeted his neighbour and tried to hide both his frustration and disappointment as they carried on their journey to the ground floor.

Mac had been riding the elevator for nearly ten minutes and as soon as Mrs Collins stepped out he pressed the upwards button once more "I err...forgot my car keys" he mumbled by explanation and soared upwards once again.

This was stupid, probably the stupidest thing he'd ever done but how else was he going to 'accidentally' bump into Stella Bonasera and suggest coffee? He'd been desperate to invite her for want of a better description to peace talks since their mutual apology a few weeks earlier but hadn't wanted to risk making the same mistake twice. No all he wanted was coffee and to talk nothing more preferably without seriously offending Professor Bonasera this time. Should be so simple right? No such luck, I mean how do you ask a woman out without actually asking her out? It was a friggin' impossibility like solving a Rubik's Cube or getting a seat on a New York subway car after 7am. So Mac had come up with his master plan he knew Professor Bonasera left for work with her little girl every morning around this time and so he'd decided to arrange a not so chance meeting and innocently drop the coffee idea into the conversation if he was lucky she might even say yes. That's if he ever set eyes on her again, so far Nate Ford would not be troubled in the mastermind stakes he sighed forlornly as the lift arrived on his floor once more and he pressed the down button yet again.

Again the elevator approached the 4th floor only this time it began to slow down and Mac holding his breath crossed just about everything he could; he reached the 4th floor and the elevator came to a holt. Mac prayed to just about everybody he could think of as the door slid open and the two Bonasera women appeared before him; it every bit of marine training he'd ever had not to punch the air with delight.

"Good morning Detective Taylor" Stella smiled brightly as she wheeled Phoebe into the elevator and they carried on their journey.

"Hello Professor Bonasera" Mac suddenly felt incredibly bashful.

"Mookie" Phoebe beamed.

"Mookie" Mac was a little bemused not for the first time around Stella Bonasera.

"Um" Stella turned a little red "That's you; she's been calling you Mookie for a while now but in Phoebe's defence I should point out that she is only 14months old."

"How about you make it up to me" Mac seized the opportunity as they arrived at their destination.

"Depends on what you had in mind" Stella replied as they exited from the elevator.

"Coffee, and only coffee I swear" Mac suggested "In a public place and time of you're choosing, you can even bring Phoebe along."

"I know a fantastic Greek place on the south side of central park..." Stella chuckled at the look of sheer terror on his face he was just so cute when he panicked.

"I'll find it" Mac jumped in happily.

"...But I insist you let me pay by way of apology" She finished.

"No it's on me" Mac was adamant.

"That really isn't necessary" Stella shook her head.

"Well I think it is" Mac was resolute.

"Well I don't" Stella argued.

"Why don't you two go Dutch" Arnold mumbled from behind the newspaper her was pretending to read yet again.

"I could live with that" Stella announced.

"Deal" Mac agreed.

"I have a free afternoon on Wednesday" Stella offered.

"That should be fine" Mac decided it would be one way or the other even if it meant blackmailing Jo "1.30 ok?"

"Perfect ...so we'll see you there" Stella grinned "If you give me your cell number I'll text you directions."

"Oh here" Mac passed her his business card.

"Crime Lab" Stella read from the card "You're in forensics too?"

"Yes ...It seems we might have something in common after all" Mac smiled sheepishly.

"Small world isn't it" Arnold muttered over in his corner.

Once again Mac checked his watch it said 2.30 exactly and still no Professor Bonasera, he'd found the cafe easily enough it was called "The Mark of Athena" and was very much the traditional Greek Taverna. Although not huge it had a friendly atmosphere and the food smelt wonderful, selecting a table by the window looking out onto the street he'd settled down to wait for his guests since he was a little early. A waiter had passed him a menu but it was literally all Greek to him so he'd just ordered black coffee briefly wondering why someone of Italian origin would choose a place like this. His coffee had arrived promptly and as promised was really something; he'd spent the rest of the last hour nursing his drink and checking his watch.

"Screw this" Mac muttered to himself and called for the bill, he knew when he'd been stood up, he got the message loud and clear beat it Taylor. What he didn't understand was why Professor Bonasera had agreed to coffee if she had no intention of meeting up. Stella Bonasera didn't strike him as the type of woman who had any trouble telling people exactly what she thought in fact he'd guess the opposite was true.

Mac decided to head home he'd swapped shifts with Jo anyway so he wasn't need at the Lab besides he really didn't feel up to the barrage of questions he'd have to face. Jo was already hot on his trail and there was nothing more dangerous than Jo in full blown detective mode, he'd made up some lame excuse about a dentist's appointment to which she'd pointed out "Do you usually give your Dentist roses?"

Mac picked up the bunch of baby pink sweetheart roses and pushed them into the startled waiter's hands "Here give these to your wife" He harrumphed and rather dejectedly left for home.

"Afternoon Arnold" Mac strolled past the doorman.

"Oh Mr Taylor thank heavens" Arnold looked like he was going to cry he was so happy to see him "I've been trying to call you all afternoon but your cell phone went straight to message and your office didn't know where you were."

"Arnold what's wrong" Mac had been a Detective long enough to gauge when something terrible had happened and something definitely had happened the man was badly shaken.

"Its Miss Bonasera baby sir, she's had an accident at day care they've taken her to the Emergency Room" Arnold explained.

"Which one" Mac demanded to know.

"Queen of Mercy sir" Arnold replied and Mac didn't even think about it twice he turned tail and dashed out as if his life depended on it.

Twenty minutes later Mac found himself standing in the bustling Children's area of the Queen of Mercy ER staring at Stella Bonasera not having a clue why he was there just knowing it was where he needed to be.

"Mac" Stella said softly spotting him in the crowd then her whole body shook and she began to sob.

Mac did the only thing he could and pulled her into his arms "She'll be ok Stella I promise..." He murmured into her curls "If Phoebe's anything like her mommy she's tougher than most grown men in here."

"They... They called me at work from day care..." Stella's voice trembled as she allowed Mac to sit her down "There was so much blood...and her little arm was all twisted, my baby was in so much pain. They took her straight into the trauma room...they wouldn't let me stay with her."

"Did they say what happened" Mac crouched down besides her, he was going to have somebody's ass nailed to a wall for this and he didn't much care who. He'd only known the Bonaseras a short time but Stella and her sweet little girl were already such a huge part of his world and he couldn't bear the idea of either of them hurting period.

"Ms Johnson said she fell off a swing" Stella explained "But she's only a baby Phoebe shouldn't have been left alone."

"I couldn't agree more Professor Bonasera" A female voice interrupted them.

"Doctor Ford" Stella sprang up from her seat "Where is Phoebe? Please tell me she's alright? Can I see her...?"

"Yes and yes..." Doctor Ford smiled "Phoebe needed sutures to a head wound and she's broken her wrist bone, luckily it's not a bad fracture but we would like to keep her here overnight for observation."

"Can I stay with her" Stella pleaded.

"I can arrange that Professor Bonasera, however I thought you should know we intend to call the Police this is not the first time a child from Phoebe's day care centre has been brought in we think the centre needs looking into and we would like your co-operation" Ford explained.

"Doctor Ford believe me I intend to complain to child services, the city council and just about anybody else I can get to listen" Stella fumed "President Obama if I need to."

"I think I may be able to help with that" Mac produced his badge "Doctor could I use your phone"

"There's one at the Nurse's station Detective..." The Doctor nodded.

"Taylor and thank you" Mac squeezed Stella's arm gently and went to make his call.

"If you'd come with me Professor Bonasera I'll take you to Phoebe she's desperately wants to see her mommy oh and her Mookie..." Ford led Stella away "Is that her teddy bear?"

When Mac caught up with Stella again she was gently rocking a sleepy looking Phoebe in her arms, a contented smile on her lips. The little girl had four butterfly stitches in her forehead and a pink cast around her wrist.

"Hey" He whispered "How's our girl doing"

"Doctor Ford says very well" Stella whispered back "She thinks that Phoebe will need to wear the cast for six weeks or so."

"Mookie" Phoebe stirred briefly, her eyes heavy with sleep.

"Hello sweetheart" Mac grinned down at the little girl "I have something for you" From his coat pocked he produced a small pink panda bear and passed it to Phoebe "I thought she could use a friend just like you."

"Say thank you to Mac" Stella kissed her little girl's cheek.

"Tank you Mookie" Phoebe yawned drifting off.

"Thank you Mac...not just for the bear but for everything" Stella smiled as she tucked Phoebe and her bear into bed "Strange as it seems I...we are glad you're here."

"Just hold that thought for a moment..." An idea had flashed into Mac's mind "I'll be right back."

"Mac Taylor you are a strange man, cute and incredibly sweet but definitely a strange one" Stella chuckled to herself.

Five minutes Mac reappeared with two Styrofoam coffee cups and some sandwiches "I believe we had a coffee date" He grinned passing her one of the cups.

"So we did" She chuckled as he settled down besides her.

"I'm afraid it's nowhere near as good as the cafe you recommended alas" Mac took a sip of his coffee and winced.

"Yeah your right" Took a sip from her cup too.

"Cheese and Tomato or Ham Salad I'm afraid that's all they had left" Mac offered her first choice of sandwich "Please be aware I'm guessing you haven't eaten all day and I won't take no for an answer."

Stella opted for the cheese sandwich "I'm so sorry about earlier, I stood you up didn't I?"

"Please don't be it wasn't your fault" Mac assured her unwrapping his own sandwich "Besides better late than never right? Besides I'm the genius who didn't charge his cell phone. Just so you know I've sent two of my best people down to Phoebe's day care centre Detectives Don Flack and Jo Danville if there is so much as an I not dotted they'll find it trust me when I say when it comes to kids my lab adopts a shoot first ask questions three weeks later policy."

"Thank you Mac and You don't have to stay with us, I mean you already have done more than enough" Stella told him.

"Are you trying to tell me to get lost" Mac teased.

"Oh no of course not" It was Stella's turn to panic "I just meant that your wife must be missing you by now."

"I'm not married" Mac flushed "I...I was Claire died when the towers fell."

"I lost Val, Phoebe's daddy to a roadside bomb in Iraq" Stella told him.

"Val" Mac asked munching his sandwich.

"Short for Valentino his mom was a huge fan of silent movies and in particular Rudolf Valentino" Stella giggled "That's how we met at a Charlie Chaplin Movie Marathon...but you really don't want to listen to the life and times of Stella Bonasera though."

"Actually I do" Mac assured her "And I have all night."


	4. APRIL:THE FAVOUR

**April: The Favour.**

"Nothing? We got absolutely nothing at all out of Jimmy Yannos" Mac Taylor asked Don Flack in amazement.

"Nothing, Nada, zip" Flack confirmed "Interpreter guy what's his name Diamos insists our star witness has clammed up tighter than a Prima Ballerina's pantyhose and is claiming it's all a terrible accident."

"Diakos the interpreters name is Sebastian Diakos and this makes no sense Jimmy Yannos was practically begging to spill his guts three hours ago" Mac frowned across his desk to Flack "He would have sold out his own Grandmother to avoid doing 40 to life at Rijkers so why would he suddenly change his mind now?"

"I wish I knew Mac I really do" Flack shook his head wearily "I thought that we finally had George Kolovos in our sights...hell I had visions of them throwing away the key."

"It doesn't make any..."Mac was interrupted by an extremely enthusiastic "Mookie."

"Mookie" Flack and Jo Danville who had just entered his office chorused in perfect harmony.

"Stel...Professor Bonasera" Mac practically leapt out of his chair in delight to see who Jo had brought with her, all thoughts of George Kolovos and Jimmy Yannos know far from his mind.

"I hope you don't mind we were in the building tying a few loose ends up and Jo said it would be ok for us to come and say hello" Stella grinned, she was carrying an obviously exited Phoebe who was waving a piece of paper around "Phoebe has a gift for you."

"Why thank you Phoebe" Mac gently took the piece of paper from the little girl's hand although the gash to her forehead had almost healed she still had a cast on her left arm "Its fine absolutely fine Stella anytime at all" He reassured her.

"Mookie" Phoebe beamed happily.

"I'd say you have a number one fan there Mookie" Flack chuckled.

"And a very talented one at that" Mac grinned showing off the picture Phoebe had draw for him.

"She's recently discovered the joy of crayons all over my kitchen wall unfortunately" Stella grinned too "The big red scribble is you at least I think so."

"I can definitely see your nose" Jo agreed wholeheartedly.

"I'm yellow and I'm pretty sure Phoebe is the purple" Stella continued.

"Mookie! Mommy! Phoebe!" The little girl chortled her agreement.

"So how do you feel about Greek food" Stella asked earnestly.

"I...to be honest I don't think I've ever really thought about it" Mac replied.

"But if you're asking him to dinner then the answer is definitely yes" Jo jumped in "He'll be there around seven thirty."

"Jo" Mac practically yelped "I'm sure Stella didn't mean ...you don't have to..."

"Actually that's exactly what I had in mind to say thank you" Stella assured him "Seven thirty is perfect since it's past Phoebe's bedtime so don't be late" With that she strolled off towards the elevator.

"Trust me he won't be" Jo called after her "I will use lethal force if necessary."

"What just happened" Mac asked shell shocked.

"I think that's what you call being caught in a pincer movement" Flack told him "May I say nicely done Detective Danville."

"Why thank you Detective Flack" She smiled sweetly.

"It's not stalking she invited you, it's not stalking she invited you..." Cautiously Mac knocked on Stella's apartment door wondering if it was too late to call for back up or at least run like hell.

The door swung open and Stella barefooted with her hair tied back in a loose pony tail and wearing jeans and a baggy New York Yankees sweatshirt greeted him cheerily if a little surprised "Hello you're early."

"I...Stel you really don't have to do this it was all in the line of duty" Mac began.

"I know but I want to" Stella took him by the arm and led him into her apartment "This time I won't yell at you I swear... Everywhere is a little untidy though once Phoebe was asleep I intended to tidy the place up and change into something a little more appropriate unfortunately she had other ideas if I didn't know better I could swear the little minx deliberately planned it this way."

"Firstly you look absolutely perfect and secondly should I be worried? Doesn't Phoebe like me" Mac asked genuinely anxious.

"You Detective Taylor know exactly the right thing to say" Stella blushed picking up various toys and tossing them into a basket as she led him to a table that had been set for dinner "Actually just the opposite, Phoebe seems to have taken a real shine to you I think she wanted to stay up and say goodnight."

"Thank heavens for that" Mac admitted with a relieved sigh as he settled down into the chair she offered "Just for the record the feeling is entirely mutual for Phoebe and her mommy too..." Mac almost choked on his own words "Oh Stella ...I'm so sorry that wasn't meant to be a line ...I just meant that I like spending time with you both I don't think I've had so much fun since I lost Claire."

"In that case I just might not castrate you I'll have to think about it" Stella teased "In the meantime let me fix your tie."

"My tie" Mac wondered but before he could react she'd began to undo the aforementioned article of clothing then she draped it over the back of his chair.

"You're so uptight…." Stella murmured into his left ear as she began to undo the first few buttons on his shirt, she was so close to him he could feel the warmth of her breath ripple over his bare skin and that was causing all kinds of extremely potent not to mention pleasant impulses to engulf his body so much so it took every ounce of marine training not to act on them, instinctively his brain looked for something to distract him from his body food he could smell food "Something smells great...Chinese chicken?"

"Ah well I have a confession to make it's take out but Jo said it's your favourite" Stella revealed blessedly moving away "I'm afraid cooking is not one of my strong points but it seemed simpler than arranging a baby sitter beside I'm really not comfortable leaving Phoebe just yet."

"You're not back at work then" Mac enquired as she handed him a glass of red wine.

"Officially I'm working from home for a few weeks" Stella settled down next to him cradling her own glass "Aiden is covering my classes as much as is possible."

"Aiden" Mac echoed out loud a strange bitter taste in his mouth.

"Aiden Byrne my research assistant, best friend and all-round superhero" Stella explained "Without whom Pheobe and I would be lost."

"Sounds like a great guy" Mac muttered feeling like he could deck this Aiden Byrne quite happily.

"She actually" Stella smiled and Mac suddenly felt like a million dollars.

"It's not your fault you know, everything about the day care centre seemed above board there is no way you could have known that the owner was dealing cocaine as a side line" Mac shook his head "None of the other parents had any idea either and the place had been fully inspected and accredited by the New York City Mayor's office."

"I know but I can't help worrying about what could have happened I could have lost her Mac and if I had then I don't think I would have wanted to go on living without my baby" Stella drank her own wine "Anyway enough of the depressing stuff ...we should eat before it grows cold."

Later Mac found himself sitting next to Stella on her sofa drinking Greek coffee and trading 'war' stories on various dead bodies they'd both processed over the years.

"Stella would you be angry if I said I had a slight ulterior motive for having dinner here tonight" Mac asked quietly "Would you mind if I asked for your opinion on something."

"There is only one way to find out isn't there" Stella pointed out.

"I've been working on a case for several months now it involves a Greek national called George Kolovos who I believe is running a smuggling ring everything from Antiquities to Human trafficking the problem is I can't prove it. Today I arrested one of his Lieutenants Jimmy Yannos on double murder charges two sisters from Romania they had escaped from Kolovos' men and he seemed ready to flip on his boss trouble was he speaks very little English so we had to call in a translator. As soon as the translator arrived he refused to speak according to the translator Yannos has never heard of Kolovos and killed the eldest sister by accident because she tried to rob him during sex and the younger sister because she was a witness" Mac explained.

"But you don't believe him" Stella concluded.

"You can tell me I'm crazy if you want but something just feels wrong Stella and then I remembered that you were born in Greece and I wondered just how fluent you are in the Greek language" He finished.

"Do you have a recording of the interview" Stella asked.

"Yes" Mac produced a memory stick from his jacket pocket.

Stella logged onto her lap top and plugged in the memory stick, silently they watched the footage together Stella listening intently to every word that passed between Sebastian Diakos and Jimmy Yannos.

"Well you're definitely not crazy, the interpreter Diakos he threatened Yannos told him that his wife and children would be killed if he spoke to you" Stella translated "And that he would be next."

"You're sure" Mac questioned her.

"Absolutely sure" Stella confirmed.

**All feedback happily accepted and many thanks to everyone kind enough to have already done so.**


	5. MAY:THE VISIT

**A/N:- (Rant begins) By now everyone knows that CSI:NY has gone the way of the Dodo but it was always a case of when not if once MK had left and I can't help feeling relieved that at least we are spared the indignity of seeing Mac lumbered with she who must not be named for all eternity. At my last count the Smacked fan fic archive stood at 1730 fics and counting whereas Mac/she who must not be named totalled a whopping 4 stories in total tells you everything you need to know about what or to be precise who the audience wanted doesn't it? It also shows you just how well loved Stella/Smacked is since the character hasn't actually appeared in the show in three years. Just for the record I don't care what happened in the last episode Mac always did and always will belong with Stella. If by some chance your reading this MK you may not be T.P.T.B's choice but you'll always be ours and in twenty years time when people look back at CSI:NY it'll be Stella Bonasera they remember (rant now over.) Thanks to everyone who has reviewed my work and apologies that this instalment is a little shorter than usual but please keep reviewing.**

**MAY: THE VISIT.**

Whenever Stella Bonasera pictured her father it was always surrounded by books, whether in his study at home or the many bookstores they had visited together over the years or like today deep within the walls of Chelsea University Library. For a moment Stella stood and watched Professor Kosta Papakota head bent over a stack of leather bound tomes busily preparing for the archaeological expedition to Thessaloniki he was planning in the summer. Unusually for these modern times Kosta still made his notes on a yellow legal pad instead of a lap top despite Stella's best efforts to introduce him to the 21st Century declaring that he would not be "Held hostage to those infernal machines" and that "Civilization had survived perfectly well for centuries without Facebook and so could he."It had been Kosta that had inspired Stella's career choice they had lost her mother in a car accident when she had been very young and so Stella had been brought up by her beloved papa. She had spent her school vacations travelling around the world with Kosta to various archaeological sites and he had passed on his love for the subject to her particularly in the classical world of Greece and Rome.

"Stella Mu are you going to stand there all day admiring the view or are you going to say something" Kosta asked in his heavy Greek accent knocking his daughter out of her trance.

"Sorry papa" Stella grinned "You know how much I love watching you work."

"Ah so that's why you are here then to conduct a time and motion study perhaps?" Kosta eyed her thoughtfully.

"Actually I thought maybe we could have lunch together" Stella answered meekly.

"If I say yes will you tell me why you're really here Stella Mu" The Professor asked gently.

"I never could get anything past you papa could I" Stella sighed.

"When Phoebe is older you will realise parental intuition is a good thing" He assured her.

"Papa I want to help out a friend of mine out his name is name is Mac Taylor and he's a Detective with the NYPD" Stella started to explain "He's been incredibly kind to Phoebe and me...I'd like to do something to thank him in return."

"How can I help" Kosta wondered.

"Papa you move in high circles within the archaeological community have you ever heard of a man called George Kolovos? Or a Sebastian Diakos" Stella wanted to know "Mac is investigating them for smuggling antiquities amongst other things and I thought maybe you knew someone who could help."

"Stella please listen to me forget you ever heard of either of them, they are dangerous men and if this Mac genuinely care's for you then he would not want you and Phoebe to get involved with them" Kosta warned her sternly "Nor do I."

"So you do know them then" Stella was a little surprised.

"I know of them" Kosta corrected her "Kolovos is attached to the Greek Embassy; even if your friend could prove anything he cannot arrest him."

"But papa..." Stella tried again.

"No Stella Mu" Kosta was absolutely adamant "Absolutely not, my granddaughter is already fatherless I would not see her become an orphan."

"What have we got" Mac asked Don Flack as he climbed out of his SVU metal case in hand.

"One Caucasian male found floating face down in the east river" Flack confirmed "And your gonna love this" with a flourish he removed the sheet covering the dead man's head.

"Sebastian Diakos" Mac took a sharp intake of breath "And it looks like he's been here for awhile."

"Explains why we haven't been able to find him" Flack shook his head "Kolovos is cleaning house Mac."

"Jimmy Yannos is still playing dumb and once he finds out that Diakos is dead I doubt he'll ever change his story" Mac nodded grimly "Get him to Sid and I'll process the scene."

"Mac I don't think you can connect this to Kolovos he's too smart for that" Flack pointed out.

"Neither do I Flack, neither do I" Mac agreed woefully as he began to work.

Kosta Papakota frowned as he watched his daughter walk out of the library, he knew that look on her face of old, the I love you papa but I'm not going to listen to you or your warnings, I'm going to do this anyway look. Phryne Stella's mother had much the same stubborn streak running through her veins and as much as Papakota had loved his late wife he knew it meant one thing and one thing only trouble; Stella was never going to let this rest. Cursing in his native Greek he slid his cell phone out of his pants pocket and scrolling down to the name Tasso he pressed the green call icon.

"It's me" He greeted his brother tersely "I think it's time to cut our dear friend Kolovos loose...why...because Stella is asking questions that I don't want her learning the answers to. Clean up our end of things, I don't want anything linking us to Kolovos I said from the start we should not deal with him and I won't have my family's lives placed in danger."

Having returned to the lab Mac stared at the mass spectrometer willing it to finish its work and provide him with even the merest speck of DNA connecting Kolovos to Sebastian Diakos' death even though in his heart of hearts he knew it was a virtual impossibility. Flack had been dead on the money when he'd said that Kolovos was too smart to leave any evidence truth was he'd probably sent one of his minions to do his dirty work for him anyway. That didn't mean it stopped Mac hoping or trying everything he knew, one day he was going to nail the son of a bitch if it meant spending the next thirty years of his life stalking the man then he'd do it. Reaching out to the mass spectrometer and tapped its control panel gently "Come on beautiful give me something anything to go on" He muttered.

"Do you two want to be left alone" Jo politely coughed behind him.

"Any luck with trace" He asked turning to face her.

"Oh plenty if you like bad" She shrugged and handed him a stack of reports.

"Figures" Mac rubbed his eyes tiredly.

"Flack says Jimmy Yannos has now officially taken a vow of silence" She continued "Suddenly he can speak two words of English perfectly."

"Let me guess 5th and amendment" Mac declared.

"Are you seeing Stella this evening" Jo enquired quietly.

"We are having dinner" Mac confirmed.

"Then maybe it's time you told her everything, that it was George Kolovos who supplied the cocaine that was being sold through Phoebe's day care centre and his people that were responsible for her accident" Jo told him "She will find out sooner or later and I think in this case sooner is better."

"Not yet" Mac shook his head "Not till Kolovos becomes a permanent resident of Rijkers."


	6. JUNE:THE MOVIE NIGHT

**Many thanks for the feedback chaps keep it coming.**

**JUNE: THE MOVIE NIGHT.**

"So what movie did you pick Mac" Don Flack asked as he and Jess Angell helped the aforementioned Detective Taylor set things up in his apartment for the team's monthly movie night. Mac had begun the movie nights when he'd first taken the job as Lab boss as a way of getting to know his team better outside of a work environment and the idea had evolved so that once a month the team would meet up and watch a movie. A different team member would host the evening each time and so therefore he or she got to pick the movie and the others had to watch without complaining although that part never usually went to plan. This month was Mac's turn to play host and Flack was hoping for a James Bond or a John Wayne at the very least something non chick flick.

"Actually...I huh don't know..." Mac reddened and pretended to concentrate on the cheese puffs he was pouring into a punch bowl "Stella is choosing."

"Oh is she now" Jess eyes sparkled with pure mischief.

"What if she is" Mac harrumphed "Can't a guy ask a good friend over to watch movies now?"

"Mac It all depends is this good friend a friend that just happens to be a girl or a girl friend" Flack played along "After all if your letting her pick the movie then we have a right to know."

"All you need to know is that I thought since this is Stella's first time at movie night I'd let her choose so she'd feel part of the group" Mac insisted "I want her to feel welcome, to feel like she belongs here with ..."

"...You! Awe Mac that's so sweet" Jessica grinned.

"With us" Mac rolled his eyes and refused to admit defeat.

"Sweet my ass" Flack grumbled "You do realize this means were going to have to sit through an Uptown Abbey or a Joan Eyre yet again?"

"Ignore my Neanderthal fiancé Mac I'm sure whatever Stella picks will be fine" Jess' elbow accidently on purpose made contact with Flack "Wont it sweetheart."

"Sure...it'll be great" Flack muttered through gritted teeth.

"Alright who wants what pizza" Mac asked grabbed his cell grateful to change the topic of conversation "Jo will want her usual pepperoni right?"

"Actually..." Jess began and Mac could swear she seemed a little guilty "Jo isn't coming over, Russ has man flu so she's staying home to play nurse" Jess explained.

"She didn't mention it earlier" Mac was definitely starting to feel suspicious.

"It's man flu" Jess shrugged by way of explanation "It happens."

"Messer and Lindsay can't make it either apparently it's Lucy's school play" Flack told him.

"I thought that was next week" Mac crossed his arms over his chest definitely suspicious by now.

"Messer got the dates mixed up it happens too" Flack shrugged.

"Let me guess Adam's been abducted by aliens and Hawkes' dog ate his homework" Mac glowered at his friends.

"See I told you this wouldn't work" Flack shook his head at Jess "This plan is about as subtle a herd of marauding wildebeest."

"Jo's playing cupid again isn't she" Mac sighed tiredly "Let me guess you two were going to have to leave unexpectedly early thus leaving me alone with Stella."

"That about covers it" Jess confessed "Awe c'mon Mac we all can see how happy you have been lately we just thought we'd give you a little shove in the right direction is all."

"Once and for all Stella is my friend nothing more and the last thing I want is for her to feel awkward or embarrassed by being here" Mac told them sternly "I'll speak to Jo in the morning but in the meantime if anybody else gets any idiotic matchmaking ideas I will shoot them on the spot."

"Well, well, well Denial ain't just a river in Egypt" Flack chuckled as he and Jess watched Mac stomp off into his kitchen.

"He really as got it bad for her hasn't he" Jess agreed cheerfully.

"Fresh diapers" Stella Bonasera asked.

"A pile the size of Mount McKinley" Aiden Byrne replied.

"Cell phone numbers in case of emergency..." Stella asked.

"Yours, his, Professor P's, the National Guard" Aiden rolled her eyes "Will you please just go Phoebe will be absolutely fine."

"Maybe I should call and cancel after all Phoebe's only just had her cast removed" Stella fretted.

"Don't you dare" Aiden yelped "Phoebe is fast asleep, safe and sound in her cot and I'm not going anywhere and you know I'd lay down and die before I'd let anything happen to my god daughter. I know it's the first night you've had out since her accident but you're worrying about nothing besides you're not even leaving the damn building."

"But what if she wakes up, what if she's scared" Stella worried.

"Then I can handle it" Aiden assured her friend "I promise if she so much as sneezes you'll be the first to know."

"What if..." Stella began.

"What if you actually enjoy yourself tonight" Aiden declared "What if you actually have found someone you could be with that's what is really worrying you."

"After I lost Val I kinda assumed that was it for me, that I'd just carry on by myself and be Phoebe's mommy since I didn't think I'd ever meet anyone else who could make me feel the way Val did" Stella confessed.

"You think maybe Mac could be someone you could care about don't you" Aiden said softly.

"I don't know" Stella sighed "That's what's scaring me."

"Well then there really is only one way to find out isn't there" Aiden handed Stella her jacket and a DVD box "We'll see you later Stel have a good night."

Three hours, several pizzas and a Die Hard much to Don Flack's relief later Mac Taylor found himself left alone with Stella Bonasera.

"Want some help cleaning up" Stella asked him.

"No that's ok I'll do it in the morning" He replied softly "I could walk you home though."

"I'm only going two floors down" Stella pointed out.

"Hey anything could happen between those two floors" Mac grinned "I mean you could run into a horde of rampaging Vikings with a thing for curly haired women and who knows what could happen then."

"If I see any Vikings rampaging or otherwise then I know exactly who to call for then" Stella grinned back "But all the sane I am a big girl Mac."

"Of course I could just arrest you for your own good" Mac pointed out.

"Mac Taylor are you suggesting I spend the night here all alone with you" Stella feigned horror and waived a finger at him "Shame on you."

"What? No I meant..." Mac stammered "Should I just get straight to the apology bit."

"Mac relax I'm teasing" Stella chuckled taking his arm "And upon further consideration I would be honoured to have you escort me home."

"Then your carriage awaits Professor Bonasera" Mac led her out of his apartment and into the elevator as they were carried downwards he asked "How's Phoebe doing at her new day care centre? Is she happy there?"

"She loves every minute, she's already made a lot of new friends in fact she's got three play dates lined up already and a trip to the zoo" Stella told him "Two weeks and she's got a better social life then I do."

Mac grinned "Somehow I doubt that but I'm glad to hear Phoebe's doing so well."

The elevator came to a stop and they walked out "Thank you Mac for asking it means a lot to me that you did" Stella assured him as they reached her door "And to Phoebe too."

Gently letting her arm go he turned to face Stella "It's no problem Stel anytime you want to talk about Phoebe or anything at all then I'm right here always."

"Mac Taylor not only are you a true gentleman your incredibly sweet do you know that" Stella breathed into his ear, she was so close now he could practically taste her and that's what he wanted to do with every fibre of his being and then some. He wanted to kiss her so badly but how would she react if he did? A knee in the family jewels probably but then it would definitely be worth it he decided as he stood there weighing up his options. What exactly was the protocol in this situation anyway? Because he knew at that moment he wanted to be a damn sight more than Stella's friend. The decision was taken out of his hands however when Stella touched his cheek with her left hand, then tilting his face tenderly towards hers planted a warm, sweet full kiss on his lips.

"Um...you kissed me" Mac stated the obvious partially out of shock as they parted company.

"You kissed me back" She pointed out.

"You kissed me first" He protested his innocence.

"So I did, well somebody had too or we would have been stood out here all night" Stella fired back and opened her apartment door "Besides you weren't exactly fighting me off now were you?"

"That would never stand up in court" Mac insisted "Trust me I'm a professional."

"Well then Detective Taylor I suggest you carry on this line of investigation at a later date" Stella smiled.

"I will do just that Professor Bonasera" Mac smiled back "Goodnight Stella."

"Goodnight Mac" She said closing her door with a soft click.

"Well" Aiden called out from the sofa.

"Yes! Definitely yes" Stella knew now for sure that Mac was somebody special, somebody she already care for more than she was prepared to admit.

Mac for his part head home hands in his pockets, whistling happily to himself as he went yep life did not get any better than this he decided.

The following morning Mac climbed out of is SUV just in time to spot Russ dropping Jo off at work "You seem to have recovered remarkably quickly Russ" Mac declared interrupting Jo's goodbye kiss.

"Hi Mac" They chorused in unison.

"By Mac" Russ waived and drove off leaving Jo at Mac's mercy.

"Oh come on Mac I was only trying to help" Jo pleaded her case as they walked along "It was for your own good you know."

"Embarrassing me ...Not to mention Stella is for my own good" Mac raised an eye brow "Someday you'll have to explain the logic behind that to me."

"One day Mac you'll thank me" Jo stood her ground "And you know it."

"I already know it" Mac confessed enigmatically remembering last night's kiss in graphic detail and not being able to stop the huge grin forming on his lips.

"Alright Taylor you're not getting away with that, something happened last night didn't it" Jo demanded to know as they entered Mac's office "So spill."

Before he could answer Danny Messer appeared out of the either "Mac we really need to talk" He said gravely.

"Go ahead Danny" Mac instructed him.

"We finally got some undercover Intel back on Kolovos case it seems that our boy has been spending quality time with these two guys Tasso Papakota and his brother Kosta both originally from Greece although Kosta emigrated to the US in 1977 with his family" Danny began to explain producing a stack of photographs "It looks like the Papakotas are in business with Kolovos smuggling rare artefacts from Greece here and around the world so Flack's guys have been following them too."

"So pick the Papakotas up let's see if they will give us Kolovos" Mac shrugged.

"There's the problem Mac" Danny handed Mac another picture "Kosta Papakota was visited recently by his daughter ...his daughter Stella Bonasera."

"Mac how much does she know about this investigation" Jo asked nervously.

"Nothing, absolutely nothing" Mac swore staring at the photograph "It's got to be some kind of coincidence Stella isn't involved in any of this I'm sure of it...she would never let anyone hurt Phoebe."

"I only hope your right boss" Danny shook his head "Or we could be visiting you in Rijkers."


	7. JULY:-THE DECISION

**July: The Decision.**

From his vantage point hopefully hidden from public view Mac watched Stella Bonasera carefully fasten the straps on Phoebe's car seat thus securing her precious little girl onto the backseat of her SVU. She then gently closed the car door and slid into the driver's seat, closing her own door and fastened her own seat belt just like she did every day, he knew her routine better than she did he speculated.

"Well sweetheart let's get you to day care" Stella cooed to the little girl then she drove off to work for the day.

On the other side of the parking lot Mac sighed and emerged from the shadows of the pillar he'd been skulking behind, the same pillar he'd been using to watch over Stella and Phoebe for the past three weeks.

Driving off to work in his own car Mac heard Sinclair's voice in his head for the millionth time warning him to "Stay the hell away from the Bonasera woman" and "That they both damn well knew it was no coincidence that Sebastian Diakos had wound up dead the day after she'd visited daddy dearest and if he found out that Mac had been involved then it wasn't just Mac's badge that he'd lose."

Mac Taylor was and always would be an honourable man, it had been the right thing to do to inform his superior officer of his friendship with Stella Bonasera Mac knew that, he also knew that Sinclair was right and that he should stay away from her but he also knew that he didn't feel whole, didn't feel complete in the morning till he'd seen them, seen his girls. Then there was the whole Kolovos problem, whilst that man was on the streets Stella and her little girl would never be safe, hence the lurking about parking garages watching Stella leaving for the day. Mac wasn't taking any chances, he'd pulled in every favour he could to make sure wherever Stella and Phoebe they were protected. He'd arranged for extra patrols to pass by Phoebe's new day care centre regularly and to have a security guard on duty at all times, he'd contacted Chelsea University Campus security and insisted that they keep Stella under discreet surveillance and he made sure he was here each morning and every evening when she returned from work. Trouble was Stella didn't know any of this so she was probably mad as hell at him and probably just as hurt too but he didn't know what to do about it. Since their shared goodnight kiss he'd deliberately avoided her, she'd left messages on his cell and texted him but he hadn't answered them what would he say "Gee Stel I'd love to have dinner but my boss won't let me?"

Mac didn't believe for one minute that Stella was involved in Diakos death, there had to be another explanation and he was going to prove it he promised her as he drove along then he would ram it cheerfully down Sinclair's throat.

"Well" Aiden Byrne asked looking up from the series of tests she was running to date the skeleton of a young woman. One of thirty two their team had recovered from underneath Grand Central Station which had been found during some renovation work underneath one of the oldest parts of the building.

"Yes Mac was watching us again" Stella replied as she slipped on her lab coat and resumed the work on a young man's skeleton found buried with Aiden's female that she'd began to examine the day before.

"That's every day for a week this is getting way to close to stalker territory for me" Aiden waved a finger at Stella "Actually I'd call it downright creepy."

"It doesn't feel that way Aiden, not to me" Stella's curls bounced as she shook her head "Believe me if I thought for one second Phoebe was in danger I'd shoot the guy on the spot myself but it's like he's taking care of us, watching out for us..."

"I don't get it Stel...I mean if he wants to take things further with you why doesn't he say so? Why hang around in the shadows like some sort of deranged Batman wannabe" Aiden puzzled.

"I have no clue" Stella admitted "But I'm damn well going to find out."

At exactly 7.30am Mac Taylor left his apartment to take up his usual position behind the pillar and wait for Stella and Phoebe to leave for the day but when he got there he found them both waiting for him.

"Hey Mac" Stella said softly.

"Mookie" Pheobe waived her panda bear cheerfully up at him from her stroller.

"Hey Stella, hey Phoebe" He flushed bright red, Mac hadn't felt this awkward around a woman since he was fourteen not even Claire had ever had this affect on him "I...um you noticed me."

"At first I thought I was imagining things" Stella shrugged "I tried calling you even went to your apartment but no-one was home..."

"Yeah...I've been kinda of busy with work" Technically Mac wasn't lying he supposed "And I...I kinda thought you could use some space."

"Oh I see..." Stella sounded hurt "Mac did we...did I do something wrong?"

"No of course not" Mac practically yelped "It's just work I swear."

"I suppose being a cop means you keep strange hours" Stella still wasn't convinced, she wanted to believe him but something wasn't right, she could feel it in her bones. However Stella had never given up without a fight in her life ever and she wasn't about to start now, particularly since Mac had begun to mean a whole lot more to here then he knew or she was prepared to admit to anyone, not Aiden or even herself.

"Absolutely" Mac nodded his agreement.

"Well as long as that's all it is" Stella smiled and pushed her doubts to the back of her mind "Maybe you could come over tonight Phoebe's missed you."

"Just Phoebe" Mac crouched down and stroked the little girl's cheek and she giggled.

"Ok I might have missed you too" Stella confessed "So will you?"

Sighing Mac stood up and grimaced, he couldn't think of anything more he wanted to do then spend the evening at Stella's but he couldn't could he "Stel...I'm sorry but..."

"You have to work I get the message Mac loud and clear" Angrily Stella stomped off towards her SVU pushing Phoebe along.

Forlornly Mac stared after her, his hand brushed the cold metal of his Detective's Shield attached to his belt in its usual place, Mac thought of all it represented and meant to him. For the longest time it had been the only thing that had kept him sane, got him out of bed in the mornings he had no idea what he would be without the NYPD and his job. He did know that Sinclair would great delight in crucifying him if he could and he also knew that he couldn't let Stella just walk off like that, walk out of his life she was much too important to him to do that. So he had a choice to make didn't he, the most important choice he would ever make either he risked losing his job or Stella Bonasera.

"Screw this, screw Sinclair" Mac muttered under his breath "Stella wait" He yelled and chased after her.

"What for" Stella stopped and turned to face him.

"Phoebe...is Phoebe doing anything Saturday" He asked.

"No...nothing" Stella told him.

"Then perhaps she'd like to come to the park with me, have a picnic maybe trouble is we'd need a chaperon" Mac declared in mock dismay "Or people might talk, so how about it mommy?"

"Yes Phoebe would like that" Stella grinned "And I suppose I'd better tag along too, keep you both out of mischief."

**A/N:-Thanks for all the feedback folks, keep it coming.**


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